Brantford mayor’s budget calls for 5.74% property tax increase

Brantford Mayor Kevin Davis has included increased funding to improve front-line policing and expand public transit in his 2025 capital and operating budgets.

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“This budget will allow the city to move forward with a number of very important capital projects to strengthen our community as we continue to grow,” Davis said in a statement Friday. “One of the most significant is a major expansion and improvement of the public transit system that will significantly improve the lives of residents.

“A modernized public transportation system that better meets the needs of residents is an initiative that has been long-awaited in our community.”

The mayor’s capital budget calls for spending of $5.3 million to improve transit services.

Davis made the comments as he released his capital and operating budgets for this year. Under the provincial ‘strong mayor’ powers, Davis is required to produce the two budgets by Feb. 1.

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City councilors now have just under two weeks to review the budgets and suggest changes. A special meeting of council has been scheduled for Jan. 14 to finalize the budgets.

Although the documents released by Davis on Friday (Jan. 3) are referred to as the mayor’s budget, the budgets were developed by city staff and reviewed by city councilors during a series of committee meetings.

Residents also had opportunities to provide input.

The mayor’s operating budget calls for spending of about $212.6 million with about $138 million of that set aside for direct city services including transit. The balance of about $74 million will cover expenses of outside agencies funding by the city including Brantford Police Service and the Brant County Health Unit.

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The budget represents a property tax increase of about 5.74 per cent which translates on average to $213 a year or $17.75 a month in dollar terms. The figures are based on a Brantford home with an assessed value of $285,000.

The assessed value is determined by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation and does not reflect the market value of a home or property.

The corporation’s last assessment was done in 2016 and an updated assessment, scheduled for 2020, was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The budget includes an additional ambulance for the Brant/Brantford Paramedic Service fleet to improve response times. It also includes a significant increase in funding for Brantford police to improve front-line policing presence through deployment of two additional cruisers and a full-time crime prevention officer, the mayor said.

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“Brantford Police will be able to provide a higher level of crime prevention services, and a more robust front-line policing presence,” Davis said. “Without these critical investments to protect and enhance the health and safety of residents, the tax increase could have been less than 4 per cent.”

The mayor said the budget maintains all current service levels.

Over the past six years, the city has been able to shield the taxpayer from the full impact of external inflationary pressures, Davis said.

“In 2022, the property tax increase of 1.98 per cent was less than the inflation rate of 4.8 per cent and, in 2023, we managed to hold the property tax increase to 2.73 per cent when the inflation rate was 6.8 per cent, one of the lowest property tax increases in the province,” Davis said. “Recent independent analysis conducted by BMA Management Consulting confirms that of Ontario’s 30 largest cities, Brantford has the 4th lowest average.”

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The capital budget, which totals $161,607,208, also includes plans to improve facilities, roads and infrastructure needed to support growth. It includes $75,000 for a feasibility study looking at the amalgamation of Brantford with Brant County. The money for the study is coming from the city’s capital funding envelope.

“Municipal budgets present both challenges and opportunities for cities of every shape and size across Canada,” Davis said. “We must be prepared to meet the future head-on, with an equally strong emphasis on financial prudence.”

Residents can appear to speak at the Jan. 14 meeting to provide input to the budgets but must register as a delegate prior to the meeting.

To learn more visit www.brantford.ca/CityBudget.

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